Iron & Kin Coffee Co — Restaurant in Claremont

Let me start by saying that Iron & Kin is my favorite coffee shop in Claremont. The baristas are friendly, personable, and make excellent drinks. Pastries are delicious, coffee is great, and you can buy bags of high-quality whole-bean coffee of different roasts/ regions.

Atmosphere is an open and airy warehouse style, with skylights and wood floors. (Music is at a pretty loud volume, so not recommended as a quiet workspace, unless you bring noise-canceling headphones.)

The main issue is TRAFFIC FLOW. Expect to wait anywhere between 20-40min even for a simple drip coffee. There is no quick in-and-out to grab a pastry, so plan ahead (and don't come if you're short on time). The main issue is that their set-up is backward from most coffee shops: the register is at the end, not the front of the line. Rather than ordering, paying, and stepping out of the way to wait for your drink, you wait in line at the counter, and everyone behind you also waits for your drink to be made. I've waited in line upwards of 40min just to buy a bag of coffee.

Bottom line: Love everything about this place except the crazy long wait (easily solvable either by moving the register, or starting the line on the opposite side). Go for excellent coffee and fabulously friendly staff, when you have...

Went here with my wife and daughter, and the first thing we saw was the line. It was straight-up Disneyland status. We thought there was an event going on we were unaware of but people in line told us it’s always like this, but worth it. So we waited a good 35 minutes, and honestly, they weren’t lying.

We grabbed two iced affirmation lattes: Worthy (brown sugar, vanilla, figs, and black pepper) and Courageous (bourbon, brown sugar, organic cream, and pink salt). The Worthy is smooth and a little less sweet, while the Courageous has more punch and depth. Both were excellent. In fact, they affirmed my belief that I’ll be back. ;)

Inside was lively. They even had a DJ spinning music, but don’t expect to find a seat unless you’re lucky. It doesn’t really matter though; downtown Claremont has plenty of spots to sit outside the Packing House, or you can just stroll with your drinks.

Food-wise, we split a breakfast burrito (solid choice) and got my daughter a croissant, which she gave the official two thumbs up.

Shoutout to the staff, too. Despite the long lines, they had smiles on their faces and were kind to everyone that I could see.

Long story short: yes, I’d wait in that line again. Iron & Kin isn’t just serving coffee, they’re serving an experience and it lives up...

Great coffee and very friendly staff! My one gripe is that there are too many “service dogs” who clearly do not meet ADA standards.

Businesses can ask: Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? & What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?. They can also remove animals who are not under control.

My trained service dog and I have been barked and lunged at each time we visit, and while it’s a good training opportunity, I hate worrying that she might be attacked while I’m just trying to enjoy my coffee.

Apologies for the long review, but I like to provide good faith feedback to businesses I enjoy. I understand it can be uncomfortable for employees to ask the two questions, but legit service dog handlers always, always appreciate it. It keeps us and our dogs safe. A big “No Dog Allowed” sign on the door might also help.

Photo feat. my girl showing appropriate service dog behavior (tucked out of the way and virtually invisible when not performing a task). For anyone considering a visit, I’d absolutely give Iron & Kin 5 stars if not...